LP 24: My Favorite Ginataan

For the 24th Lasang Pinoy (thank you for inviting me kai!) I decided to make my favorite ginataan. Ginataan is a Tagalog term referring to food cooked with coconut milk or coconut cream (kakang gata). My favorite type of ginataan is the sweet kind made with the first extraction of coconut cream (kakang gata), bananas (saba) and some root crop (like sweet potato (kamote) or yam). From here additional ingredients are usually added, depending on the region where you are from, and in my case, as much ingredients as my liquid will take. Some of the more popular ones are sticky rice balls (bilo bilo), tapioca pearl balls (sago), and strips of sweetened jackfruit (langka) and corn (mais).


1 400 ml can coconut cream (kakang gata) mixed with 3/4 C water
3-4 Tbs sugar
125 gm sticky rice, rounded out into little balls (bilo-bilo)
2 medium saba banana (substitute with starchy bananas)

1 cup purple sweet potatoes (kamote)

1/2 cup tapioca pearl balls (sago)

1/4 cup sweetened coconut strips (macapuno)

1/4 cup sweetened garbanzos

It isn’t at all hard to make ginataan, but you do need a lot of time and patience as the coconut cream tends to stick to the bottom of the pan as it thickens. I remember eating bowls of the deliciously gooey stuff when we had our annual sojourns to Sta. Rosa Laguna to visit the sister of my Lola (grandmother). It is wonderful how the aroma of certain foods bring back sketches of your childhood. In my case, the scent to thickening coconut cream brings my Lola ‘Ude to mind and her heavily laden narra dining table. My Lola was well known as an excellent host and a pretty mean cook who kept a full larder at all times.

Heat the coconut cream, water and sugar. Add the sliced bananas.

Cook the bananas until almost done, the mixture will be very thick.

Add 2 Tbs of water and add the sliced sweet potatoes.

When the sweet potatoes are almost done add the sticky rice balls.

Add 2 Tbs water and mix carefully. Bring to a simmer and add the tapioca

balls. Mix gently.

Add the garbanzos and half the coconut strips.

Plate and arrange remaining coconut strips on top decoratively.

Serve. Eat.

Lola 'Ude would probably never forgive me if she were alive today. I used canned coconut cream and added some pretty unconventional ingredients, but hey, I love sweetened garbanzos and this dish can never be coco-nutty enough for me so I added strips of sweetened coconut strips (macapuno).

I like this version so much that even if I have my Lolo's jackfruit on hand I will still add the garbanzos and go over board with the macapuno, so there.